1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning the exterior of a boat when the boat has been removed from the water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The problem of marine fouling is a continual one for all watercraft. Boats can quickly become coated below the waterline with barnacles, algae and other organisms and substances. The fouling initially is unsightly and may produce an unpleasant odor. As it increases, the effect of the fouling to decrease speed and increase fuel consumption becomes more pronounced.
Several apparatus have been designed for cleaning a boat while it floats in the water. Patents for such apparatus include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,327,012 issued to Bright on Aug. 17, 1943; 3,561,391 issued to Locati on Feb. 9, 1971; 3,709,184 issued to Laney on Jan. 9, 1973; and 3,752,109 issued to Seiple on Aug. 14, 1973. These devices, however, have several limitations which limit their practicality and usefulness.
Each of these devices incorporates a brush which is mechanically driven to scrub the exterior of the boat. Because the boat is in the water, there are many moving parts which lie within the water. These parts are therefore quite susceptible to fouling, as is the boat. Fouling of these moving parts will have the effect of reducing efficiency of the equipment and increasing power consumption. Further problems arise in conjunction with increased wear. Operation of the systems below water also requires that the power source be located away from the driven brushes. This arrangement requires complex and expensive power transmission systems which also are susceptible to fouling and increased wear.
Another problem with boat cleaning devices which operate in the water is the inability to use a concentrated cleaning solution on the boat surface. The cleaning solution is quickly diluted by the water in which the boat is floating. An alternative is to dock the boat in a hull-sterilizing tank into which a chemical agent has been added. This alternative, however, provides a concentrated cleaning solution only by using large amounts of the solution. Further, the solution directly pollutes the water in which the tank is located, and there is a need to clean fouling from the tank itself.